Aikido
Class Schedules (Ages 13 and up)
Mondays 8 pm – 8:45 pm
About Aikido
Aido was founded by Morihei Ueshiba, referred to by his title ‘O Sensei’ or ‘Great Teacher’ The word “aikido” is formed of three kanji:
合 – ai – joining, unifying, combining, fitting
気 – ki – spirit, energy, mood, morale
道 – dō – way, path





“The Way of Harmony of the Spirit” is one way that “Aikido” may be translated into English. Aikido is often translated as “the way of unifying’ or “the way of harmonious spirit, and is based on a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs.
Aikido is distillation of centuries of Japanese martial knowledge; An art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury. Aikido is about harmonizing with your opponent to bring peaceful resolutions to situations involving conflict. It is a comprehensive system of throwing, joint-locking, striking and pinning techniques using opponents own energy to gain control of them or to throw them; Aikido is not a static art, and places an emphasis on motion and the dynamics of movement with turning movements.
Aikido is at the same time very complex and yet very simple. O Sensei emphasized the moral and spiritual aspects of this art, placing great weight on the development of harmony and peace.

Tomiki-ryu
Developed by Kenji Tomiki, student of both Judo founder Jigoro Kano and Morihei Ueshiba. Kenji Tomiki believed in a formalization of Aikido that would make it easier to teach and understand. Tomiki-ryu is a system of teaching of Aikido where student and teacher are both clear on the student’s development.
Benefits of Aikido
• A path of self-development
• Improved quality of life
• Integration of mind, body, and spirit
• Intuitive understanding of ourselves and the world
Mental Benefits
• Increased balance
• Improved posture
• Improved coordination
• Improved reaction and timing
• Flexibility
• Greater awareness of our bodies
• Moving with fewer aches and pains
• Stronger muscles and bones
• Works every major and minor muscle group
• Improved aerobic fitness


Physical Benefits
• Relaxation and reduced stress
• Expansion of consciousness
• Mindful action
• Ability to resolve conflicts
• Break or change old habits and conditioning
• Personal feelings of harmony and wellness
• Greater self discipline
• Wisdom
• Self-defense – improve the ability to deal with aggressive behavior, respond rather than react, stay in control, focus and be clear in any situation